Size: 156 cm
Days: 25 - 30
Rider size: 5'8" 165 lbs
Conditions
As I owned this board for one season I encountered every condition possible at Le Relais, near Quebec City.
Boots: Burton Ruler Wide Size 8 US
Bindings: Frankenbinders Cartel baseplate, Genesis Highbacks and straps Medium
Set Up: Multipe setback from 1" to 4", 23" stance Front +24 Back +9
Flex: Medium hard to hard, 8,5 on 10, 10 being the hardest.
Overall Feel
Fullbag snowsurfs are boards for advanced riders and they are pretty stiff. Designed by legendary Québécois Miguel Marco, strong of his many decades on snowboards and skateboards. The boards' construction is strong and the black base is tough.
With all that said, the Blunt Diamond 156 cm is a real treat for the all mountain freeride ripper. It is stable and it is surprising how it wants to work along with you. It is stiff but doesn't feel stiff like a plank. Really easy to manoeuver from slow to too fast speeds. It gives you that extra confidence that a bomber boards have.
Its wide waist (260 mm) has great float and for a 8 US footed rider like me I never have any drag which is real nice in powder or in deep carves. The nice taper (28 mm) helps the float and enhance the directional drive that the Blunt Diamond gives you. Despite this taper, I found it pretty fun to ride switch because its medium-stiff flex is a nice helper for the switch riding rider that I am. On the topic of directional riding, the unsettling setback was giving me some challenge since I like to have some tail for railing turns and slashing side pistes, and popping off anything. So, I often rode it with the back binding closer to the center of the board instead of too much setback and the results are interesting especially on groomers where you don't need that much setback.
Powder
Well, knowing Mig (last year we rode together a couple of times) and bits of the brand, powder is what they breath and the Blunt Diamond is your go-to board for powder, fresh snow, and untouched terrain. As said before, the 260 mm waist, the 28 mm taper and the 7,5 cm setback speaks for itself.
Carving and turning
Another wheelhouse from Fullbag is the slogan "A pow board that can definitely carve". So the Diamond Blade is almost a boardercross board, the little brother, the Blunt Diamond has this carving element from its camber and the nice sidecut. It is stable in turns and especially in carves. You can push it and do any kind of carves you want with it.
Fullbag is all about turning and they were carvers way before it became a trend and they will continue long after the wave has passed. The Blunt Diamond is true to that from start to finish.
Only downer is the 260 mm waist that is not the best for my 8 US feet on the side of edge to edge turning time, but gives me other advantages than for the edge to edge speed.
Speed
Stable and so strong it gives you that extra confidence you need in the pitch sections and even the hard pack and/or icy sections of the slopes you can go withtout fear.
Uneven Terrain
It does a great job but I found it a bit wide in those conditions and felt a little pushed around since I am not a heavy rider neither a big footed rider (8 US). Handle rightly the board can give you the best of a snowstorm especially for the slashing and surfing side of pistes.
Jumps
This is not a jump board neither a park board. But an advanced rider will have some fun in the jump line as the 156 cm is stable and can handle landings at high speeds and even switch landings were really fun on that directional beast. Not a twin board but if you are reading this you are not looking for a board to do 720 or pipe.
However, as I said in my introduction, I tend to set the back binding closer to the center of the board and cheat a bit on the shape of the board and it creates an interesting ride for times when fresh snow isn't available, which is often the case here in the Quebec City area.
Verdict
This is a great board for the advanced rider ho needs a powder board that can handle any condition on the mountain. In fact, the 156 cm is really fun in fresh snow/powder conditions, but which board isn't? Well, this one is far better than your average board.
With all that said, it was probably a better board than I was a rider back when I owned it almost five seasons ago. And now in 2021, I actually am looking to get one again in my quiver as I think I will probably enjoy it much more.
Now go out and ride!
Specs:
Size: 156 cm
Effective edge: 116.5 cm
Contact length: 90.5 cm
Nose length: 26 cm
Tail length: 13.5 cm
Nose width: 31.2 cm
Waist width: 26 cm
Tail width: 28.4 cm
Sidecut: 8 m
Taper: 28 mm
Width at front inserts: 27.3 cm
Width at rear inserts: 26.6 cm
Ref. stance: 54 cm
Stance range: 50cm - 60 cm
Setback: 7.5 cm
Flex description: medium stiff
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